Landscaping, Lawn Care & Sprinklers

How Much Does Crushed Stone Cost?

Crushed stone comes from large rock formations that are crushed down to various sizes or grades by a machine. Many people consider crushed rock to be equivalent to gravel. However, crushed rock is actually quite different. See why more homeowners are choosing crushed stone and its associated costs.

Crushed Stone Prices

When it comes to crushed stone, your total cost will depend on pretty much three factors: Supplier, type and how much you purchase. More often than not, that final choice will determine your crushed stone price.

However, after scouring suppliers around the country, the estimated costs for crushed stone are:

Minimum Cost: $27.50 per ton of basic landscaping crushed stone when 23 or more tons are purchased at one time. Costs increase per ton when fewer tons are ordered.

Maximum Cost: $64.20 per ton of white marble crushed stone, not including delivery.

Crushed Stone Cost Factors

As you saw above, there is quite a range for crushed stone prices. That’s because there are plenty of cost factors beyond the three mentioned above. Knowing what can increase or decrease your final crushed rock cost will certainly curb your landscaping, patio or walkway budget.

Type

We’re going to jump into crushed stone types later on, but there are nine dominate materials on the market. Of course, each brings it own set of benefits and drawbacks. Therefore, they each bring along different price points. If you want to decrease costs, pick common crushed stones in your region. The rarer the material, the more expensive your crushed rock price will be.

Size

Crushed stone comes in many different sizes. Just like candy at a candy store, you pay by the weight. Therefore, the heavier your crushed stone, the more you’re going to pay.

Project

In addition to size, the other factor of weight is how much you need. Certain landscaping projects, like a long walkway, require more crushed stone than others (small patio enhancement). But beyond the physical amount you purchase, your final design will affect the cost. Complex stone or project designs will undoubtedly raise your costs.

Location

Sadly, all nine crushed rock types are not readily available across the county. Just like paying for a package, the farther it has to travel, the more expensive it will be. As such, it pays to contact a local landscaper to determine what crushed stone types are sold near you!

Delivery

If you’re looking to complete a very small landscaping project, you can probably transport the crushed rock yourself. However, larger projects or stone coming across the country require professional rock delivery. Just like finding a reliable landscaper, it pays to research local landscaping delivery companies and compare prices.

Crushed Stone Cost Comparison

To get an accurate material pricing picture, you have to know your options. Fortunately, we’ve done the research for you and found the average prices of the most comparable landscaping materials.

Crushed Stone Types

There is no one size fits all type of crushed stone. In addition to durability and cost, every type of crushed stone comes in difference sizes and colors. Luckily, the wide range of crushed rock materials means no homeowner should settle with any landscaping project.

Crushed stone types/materials include:

Granite

Limestone

Trap Rock

Quartzite

Argillite

Gneiss

Marble

Lava

Timberlite

Crushed Stone Uses & Sizes

Construction industries and homeowners rely on crushed stone for a wide array of purposes. Besides being extremely versatile, crushed stone adds a quaint and rustic look to any landscape and is available in many colors and sizes to create a particular look. The natural beauty of crushed stone blends in very well with plants and trees, creating a charming balance to your property.

There are more than a dozen sizes of crushed rock to choose from that range in size from dust screenings to 10 inches in diameter and are available by ton or by yard, which is equivalent to 1.4 tons. The most common sizes for crushed stone are:

Particle crushed stone (very small)

1/4 inch

3/8 inch

1/2 inch

3/4 inch

1 inch

2 inch

3.5 inch

4 inch

10 inch

The most popular size of crushed stone among homeowners is known as #57 and is 3/4 inches in size. This crushed stone helps with drainage and is found in many decorative colors and types of rock. It’s commonly recommended for driveways, general landscaping applications, shrub beds and walkways. It also comes in white marble chips, brick chips, red rock and limestone.

White marble, which is available in 1/4 and 1/2 inch sizes, serves best in gardens, fountains and container plants. Washed clean stone is much smaller at 1/4 inches in size and serves well to decorate landscaping around trees, in walkways and in playgrounds.

Crushed stone is used in many building materials. Screenings or dust particles are used for concrete block manufacturing. This particular crushed rock is known as #10. Crushed rock #67 ranges in size from 3/4 inches to a size of fine particles and is used as a slab, road and fill base. Another crushed stone is #411, which is a mixture of #57 stone and stone dust. This mixture is used as a base for retaining walls, roads and for patching holes in pavement. Mixing in dust with the larger stone improves its ability to settle.

Crushed stone that ranges from 1 to 2 inches in diameter is used for drainage solutions, in dry wells, in septic systems and as ballast for railroad tracks. It consists of trap rock, granite, limestone and gneiss and is used to produce cement, lime and riprap stone. It is known as #3.

Washed clean stone is 1/4 inch in size. This #5 concrete is added into ready-mix concrete and is used in various drainage applications and as a base for road and pavers. White limestone, which is 3/8 inches in size, is used as a roofing stone for its excellent reflective values.

Another crushed stone variety is the riprap stone, which measures 3 1/2 inches in diameter and serves well as a soil stabilizer, as a backing for stone walls and retaining wells. Graded surge crushed stone that is 4 to 10 inches in diameter is an erosion controller like riprap and is also used in creek banks and large storm drain lines.

One of the biggest sizes available is crushed stone #1, which ranges from 2 to 4 inches in diameter. This stone is used in very large excavating jobs such as culvert installations.

Crushed Rock Advantages

In addition to its variety, there are plenty of other reasons homeowners and contractors are attracted to crushed rock:

It’s a low-cost material

It’s readily available

Has excellent drainage ability

Is a strong base material for foundations

Crushed stone is an excellent landscaping addition for homeowners who live in dry regions, as it works like mulch to retain moisture. In wet regions, crushed stone can be used to relieve water build-up while keeping the soil in place.

Homeowners can easily work with crushed stone to create landscaping projects. This material can quickly transform a backyard into a nice patio, garden or walkway and is available in eye-catching colors of white, pink, cream, gold, brown and tan. Crushed stone 3/8 inches in diameter is an excellent groundcover that won't spill over into the yard. Furthermore, when used in driveways, crushed stone will form a surface that is nearly as hard as asphalt once it’s compacted, and it promotes drainage by keeping mud and excess water down.

Crushed Rock Disadvantages

Because crushed rock is loose, it must be regularly maintained. As a material for driveways and walkways, it can easily become displaced, which you have to replenish from time to time. Weeding will have to be done where crushed stone is used to keep the area looking clean and neat.

It's harder to place patio furniture and other objects on areas with crushed stone. Unless stepping stones are used, it's also inconvenient to walk on surfaces with crushed stone.

How Much Crushed Stone Do I Need?

Some home improvement websites offer a calculator that helps buyers conveniently estimate the exact amount of crushed rock you’ll need for your landscaping project. For example, one ton of #57 crushed stone would cover 150 square feet with a depth of 2 inches. When ordering larger or smaller crushed rocks, the coverage will change.

Where to Buy Crushed Stone

More often than not, most homeowners purchase their crushed stone from large retailers such as The Home Depot or Lowe’s. While this is certainly acceptable for smaller crushed rock projects, there are a few reasons to strongly reconsider this decision.

First and foremost, there is an upcharge. These stores do not manufacture crushed stone themselves. They buy it from third parties. To make a profit, they have to charge you more than what they bought it for. Therefore, you would pay less if you bought it straight from a crushed stone manufacturer.

Next, more often than not, you can’t buy crushed stone in bulk from your local retailer. This poses a problem when it comes to driveways and or larger crushed rock projects. Unless you pay for professional delivery, moving all those 5 lb. bags won’t be quick or easy.

With these drawbacks in mind, it’s always best to buy this material from a crushed stone manufacturer. The advantages include:

Can buy in bulk

Buy from the experts

Can include professional delivery

Guarantee quality

Conduct a local search online to find the best crushed stone manufacturers near you, but some of the best in the country include:

DIY Or Hire A Pro?

Adding crushed stone as a walkway or an added landscape feature is not a difficult project. More often than not, you have to excavate the land, add some coarse sand or landscape gravel and then place the crushed stone how you wish. However, as you might expect, the project is much more time consuming when installing a crushed stone driveway. It’s not hard, but it does require a lot of elbow grease. If you don’t have the time (one full day) or the manpower to add a crushed stone driveway, we recommend contacting a landscaping pro near you.

Find A Pro

Whether for a walkway, driveway, drainage or just a nice border around a few plants, crushed rock will certainly upgrade your home’s exterior. If you’re considering this simple upgrade, let us help you find a local landscaping professional.